A heat pump combines the features of an air conditioner and heater into a single unit. As such, they use the exact same system of circulating and cycling refrigerant as a standard air conditioning system. This means that you can generate warm air and cool the air in your home, but like a standard air conditioner vents the warm air outside. In contrast, a heat pump is designed to blow that warm treated air back into your home during colder periods. This makes the heat pump a clever and flexible option to maintain the level of indoor comfort in your home. Like any piece of complex equipment, a heat pump can have problems, and here we will explore three of the most common issues encountered.
1. A Faulty Fan Motor:
A heat pump is heavily reliant on fans to generate the airflow and move the treated air into your home. When the fan motor develops a fault or begins to wear out, the airflow will be adversely affected. This will be immediately noticeable, and in severe cases, you will feel no air coming from your vents. Despite the lack of air being delivered, the heat pump system will continue to try and supply you with heated air. This may have a couple of negative consequences for your system and your budget. Firstly, your energy bill may be higher as your system struggles to compensate for the damaged fan, this means that you may pay more money and still receive no treated air. Secondly, the damaged fan motor may start to affect the performance of other parts, and the final repair bill could be higher. Getting the fan motor replaced earlier is the best solution, the repair will be cheaper, your indoor air quality will not be compromised, and your energy bill will remain at the usual levels for the season.
2. The Refrigerant Levels are Too Low:
The heat pump needs an adequate level of refrigerant in the system to function as intended. If there is a refrigerant leak, the cooling capacity of the heat pump is compromised, and ice will then form on the surface of the cooling coils. This build up of ice also impedes the cooling capacity even further making the situation worse. The temptation is to try and restore the refrigerant levels to normal yourself. It’s a far better idea to let a trained technician locate the leak, fix it and then recharge the system to the correct level of refrigerant.
3. The Condenser is Faulty:
The condenser motor is used to shift the refrigerant into a liquid state, and it’s a key process in the air conditioning system. If the condenser motor is overloaded or working less efficiently due to a fault or other issue, it can cause problems. The refrigerant cannot liquefy correctly, it will not cycle through the system, and as a result, the cooling efficiency is drastically reduced. Running the heat pump with a faulty condenser is a waste of time, and it should be replaced by a local trusted technician to restore normal operation.